Tag Archives: finding a diagnosis

Agonizing Journey: The Undiagnosed Child

When a child is born with (or develops) physical problems, parents experience a sense of panic: What is wrong with our baby? The anomalies might be obvious or subtle. Sometimes it is only a parent’s “gut feeling” indicating that something just isn’t right. There are few things as frightening as having a baby or child with an unknown medical condition. When Parents Become Medical Researchers Many parents find their feet set upon this difficult, frustrating path. They become their child’s own medical researcher, trying to find a diagnosis that matches the baffling symptoms. Along this mysterious journey, their child might … Continue reading →

The Trouble with Labels

When dealing with people of any race, gender, religion, or disability, labeling is a touchy subject. In order to identify people we sometimes need to classify them. And how can government assistance be given to individuals without grouping them in some way? Yet nobody wants to be labeled. There are disadvantages to labeling a child as “Asperger’s Syndrome,” or “Pervasive Developmental Disorder,” or “Learning Disabled.” With those classifications, expectations are set-up. The person hearing the label now assumes that the child will behave a certain way. A teacher, for example, might treat a child differently, either babying her, or allowing … Continue reading →